Sunday, October 12, 2014

Interesting day…a learning day…a day I have no regrets about
and one I will always remember.

One year ago, October 12th, 2013 I was running
down the Queen K with a pain in my leg so intense that at one point I just didn’t
feel it anymore.I never once, for not
even a second, thought about stopping or even walking.Every part of my being wanted to run down Ali
Drive and cross the finish line.It was
my dream and something I thought about every single day in training.

Now, exactly 365 days later I’m running through the streets
of Chicago with a similar pain and some foot pain along with it…nothing like a
year ago…but they were both singing to me from the word “go”.At mile one I knew the finish was probably
not in the cards for me today. Not because my body couldn’t handle it, but because
I wasn’t willing to go to “that” place.“That”
place is special to me and reserved for only the most important races.Today, the Chicago Marathon was not going to
get that honor.

It takes passion.I
truly believe we are all capable of so much more than we think is
possible.The interesting part of the
puzzle which needs to be there is…. passion.There is no dream and no goal too big if you
have it…the passion.We all need to do what WE love and then anything
is possible.

What I
found out today about myself is my passion and my goals don’t involve the
Marathon Olympic Trials.

This whole year has been a great year.There are no regrets.I have thought so many different times about
different goals and different paths I want to take with my training,
occupations, and just living life.I’m
not someone to settle and I’m not someone to just go through the motions.Life is way too short to walk around
regretting not taking chances, not putting yourself out there, and not dreaming
big dreams.I will always set the bar
high and aim for the stars.It’s just
sometimes I need to change what the bar looks like and what star I’m shooting
for.

My heart is in the lava fields of Hawaii and that is where I
want to spend every second Saturday in October.

On a side note…the most exciting part of the day was lining
up with the American Development Team.Heated tent and no lines for the porta potties were FABULOUS!